Maharashtra

Montes Alpha Chardonnay, 2007 Chile
(pro.: mon-téz  alfa  shard-o-nay)

Prior to 1990 Chile produced very good wine, but almost entirely destined for supermarket shelves and mass consumption. Understanding how well-adapted the climate and soil of central Chile were to the making of more refined wine, the founders of Montes created a company with the intention of raising the bar of winemaking in Chile. This they did with the ‘Alpha’ range, the first super-premium wines to be exported from Chile.

The Alpha Chardonnay is still a benchmark for bold New World whites and is often to be found in Decanter and Wine Spectator’s top 100 white wines of the World. Not surprisingly it also won gold at the inaugural Sommelier India Wine Competition this past November.

Rich, full and capable of cellaring for another year or two, the wine is dominated by citrus and tropical flavours, and a creaminess drawn from a year spent maturing in French Oak barrels.

A rich and rewarding experience on its own, this is an excellent wine for butter chicken, or richer, creamier dishes involving white meat or paneer.

Bodegas CVNE Rioja Reserva, 2006 Spain
(pron.: bow-day-gas  coon-a  ree-yo-ha  re-zer-va)

CVNE, or the Compaña Viniticola del Norte España (Wine Company of Northern Spain – pronounced coo-na), is one of the greats of Rioja. Founded by two brothers 130 years ago, current owner, Victor Urrutia, is the fifth generation of the family to run the great Bodega (Spanish term for winery) producing internationally admired wines.

The strict quality laws of Rioja state that a company wishing to label their wine as a ‘Reserva’, such as this CVNE, must ensure that not only is the base wine of an extremely high quality, but that it spends at the very least a year in oak barrels, and then is held back for a further two years after bottling. This is so that it can be released when approaching readiness for drinking.

However, considering the quality of a wine produced by a company like CVNE, even a 2006 Rioja Reserva is very young.

This wine can be laid down for five or even eight years, but it can be consumed comfortably now, but as such, is surefire wine for the decanter.

If you do not possess a decanter, invest in one, as you will need to aerate the wine for at least a couple of hours outside the bottle, before this utterly classic and age-worthy European red begins to unravel from its intense concentration - showing its true identity. 

On first nose, intense ripe redcurrants and blueberries, backed by spices, and concentrated leather. A bracing acidity (one of the factors which will allow the wine to age so gracefully), is supported by further intense, chunky fruits on the palate, and a gentle coating of soft tannin, all leading to a lingering finish of concentrated currants and tobacco. A classical, refined Rioja.

This is a rich wine with quite some acidity, so can be paired with a diverse array of richer foods, from lamb tikka, to Chinese meat dishes, but totally at home with and complemented by a lamb stew. It is also lovely on its own.  

Ricossa Barolo, 2004 Italy
(pro.: ric-osa  bar-olo)

From the cult ageworthy grape of Spain, to its noble Italian counterpart – Nebbiolo, whose ultimate expression is found in the fine wines of the village of Barolo, is, like Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the three great aging reds, and undisputed king of Italian grape varieties.

Much beloved of British and American collectors, Nebbiolo boasts typically high tannin, along with aromas of tar, roses, cherries and rich tobacco.

Located in northwest Italy, near the ‘truffle capital’ town of Alba, Barolo forms a major part of arguably the greatest regional gastronomy on Earth.

The village is small (the castle that dominates it is nearly as large as the village itself), and land around intensely hilly and covered in vines. Even so, land is limited and yields low, making the wines of Barolo highly sought after and often very expensive indeed.

We are very lucky to have available this marvellous wine from the great local house of Ricossa. We are very fortunate that the producers, and one of our partner importers, were able to club together to enable us to bring this excellent wine, with 6 years bottle age, to our members at an introductory price that is well below market rates.  

2004 was a great vintage for Piedmont, and the Ricossa shows all the typical charm of a noteworthy, bottle-aged Barolo: initial notes of sweet earth, giving way to rich cherries and raisins. There is tar, a hint of minerality and more intense cherry on the palate, backed up by the typical Nebbiolo tannins and acidity.

A great food wine, designed for the rich, often fatty foods of north Italy – think carbonara, or closer home, butter chicken or shahi paneer; meats, cream and bit of spice.